1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to collision warning and countermeasure systems and parking aid systems for an automotive vehicle, and more particularly to a system and method of performing object detection for the stated systems.
2. Background of the Invention
Collision warning and countermeasure systems, and parking aid systems are becoming more widely used. Collision warning and countermeasure systems and parking aid systems provide a vehicle operator knowledge and awareness of objects vehicles within close proximity so as to prevent colliding with those objects. Countermeasure systems exist in various passive and active forms. Some countermeasure systems are used to aid in prevention of a collision, others are used to aid in the prevention of injury to a vehicle operator.
Collision warning and countermeasure systems currently exist in various forms. Certain collision warning and countermeasure systems are able to sense a vehicle or an object at approximate distances of 20-30 m from a host vehicle and warn the host vehicle operator, such that the operator can take precautionary steps to prevent a collision or injury. Other collision warning and countermeasure systems activate passive or active countermeasures such as airbags, load limiting seatbelts, or brake control whereby the system itself aids in preventing a collision or injury.
Parking aid systems are typically used to detect an object forward and rearward of the host vehicle. When the host vehicle is traveling in a forward direction at relatively slow velocities of approximately less than 10 kph, the parking aid system detects objects approximately within 60 cm forward of the host vehicle. When the vehicle is in reverse gear, such that the vehicle is traveling in a rearward direction the parking aid system is detecting objects within approximately 180 cm of the host vehicle. Parking aid systems indicate to a vehicle operator that an object, that may not be visible to the vehicle operator, is within the stated distances of the vehicle. The vehicle operator may then respond accordingly.
Currently, since most of the object detection sensors are only capable of operating in a single mode, in order to perform object detection for both collision warning and countermeasure systems and for parking aid systems, dual sets of object detection sensors are required. A first set of object detection sensors operate in a first mode to detect objects in a first range and a second set of object detection sensors operate in a second mode to detect objects in a second range. Object detection sensing requirements are generally less stringent for objects existing at 20-30 m than for objects existing within parking aid system object detection ranges.
It is desirable, when designing a vehicle to minimize vehicle components, so as to minimize space requirements for the components in a vehicle, minimize weight of the vehicle, and minimize vehicle production and manufacturing costs. It is therefore desirable to provide a collision warning and countermeasure system that incorporates features of a parking aid system and minimizes the amount of object detection sensors to satisfy the above-stated desirable design objectives.
The present invention provides a system and method of detecting objects within a close proximity of an automotive vehicle. A collision and countermeasure system for an automotive vehicle is provided. The system includes a velocity sensor that generates a vehicle velocity signal. A multi-mode object detection sensor generates object detection signal. The multi-mode object detection sensor operates in a detection mode in response to the vehicle velocity signal. A controller is electrically coupled to the velocity sensor and the multi-mode object detection sensor and generates a countermeasure signal in response to the object detection signal. A method of performing the same is also provided.
One of several advantages of the present invention is that it provides a collision warning, countermeasure, and parking aid system that utilizes multi-mode object detection sensors, thereby, utilizing the same object detection sensors for both potential collision detection and parking aid. The ability to use the same objet detection sensors for multiple operating modes reduces the number of vehicle components, weight of the vehicle, and production and manufacturing costs and increases space available in the vehicle.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it is versatile. It may be applied in multiple applications due to the ability of operating in multiple modes and in various combinations. For example, a first multi-mode object detection sensor may be utilized for more than one operating mode and a second multi-mode object detection sensor may be utilized synchronously with, but for a different operating mode than the first multi-mode object detection sensor.
The present invention itself, together with attendant advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures.